Photographic processing machine



April 2, 1968 J. T. HELLYER PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSING MACHINE Filed July 20, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l /N VENTOE J. T. HELLYER April 2, 1968 PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 20, 1965 United States Patent 3,375,770 PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSING MACHINE John T. Hellyer, Rockton, Ill., assignor to J. T. Hellyer, Inc., St. Charles, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed July 20, 1965, Ser. No. 473,315 3 Claims. (Cl. 9594) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This photographic processing machine, designed for speedier finishing of prints, has two closely spaced pairs of rubber covered feed rolls cooperating with a developer bath, the first pair being under light spring pressure to promote good wetting with developer while the second pair operates with heavier spring pressure to squeegee excess developer off the paper for economy but mainly more evenness of distribution and for better stabilization in the second bath. A third pair of spring pressed rubber covered feed rolls, serving as final squeegee rolls, driven in timed relation to the first mentioned ones obtains properly timed sequence in the passing of the paper from the first bath through the second, the third pair being arranged so that paper emerging from the second bath rises at a steep angle for quicker drainage by gravity of a large percentage of the stabilizer solution back into the second bath before the paper reaches these last rolls. A guide system provided between the second and third set of rolls in connection with the stabilizer bath consists of vertically spaced gently curved plastic guides, the upper one of which is disposed to maintain even tension on the paper between the second and third pair of rolls by holding the paper immersed in the stabilizer just to the right extent and no more, while the lower one cooperates with the upper one to guide only the leading and trailing ends of the paper properly to avoid backups or bunchings and help at its trailing end to direct the paper finally upwardly at a sharp angle to the last rolls. Both guides have longitudinally extending ribs in offset relationship to one another for-light line contact with the paper on both sides, but mainly on the back, so that there will be no traces of adhesion and no scufiing of the surface due to passage through the guide system.

This invention relates to a photographic processing machine and is more particularly concerned with one capable of operation at a speed of one inch per second in producing a continuous tone photographic print that is commercially acceptable, using what are known as stabilization materials.

The present machine is of novel design and construction and has:

(1) Two sets of spring pressed rubber-covered drive rolls in closely spaced parallel relationship between which the exposed paper with its emulsion side down is fed horizontally from the printer, the lower drive rolls dipping into a developer solution for a double kiss treatment to insure good and even overall developing of the latent images, despite the one inch per second rate of feed, the first pair of rolls operating with lighter spring tension so as to promote good wetting with developer, and the second pair of rolls operating with heavier spring tension to squeegee excess developer oil the paper back into the bath for economy but mainly to insure more evenness of distribution of developer for better prints and also to ease the stabilization in the second bath;

(2) A third pair of spring pressed rubber covered squeegee rolls driven in timed relation to the first mentioned rolls so as to obtain perfectly timed sequence in the passing of the paper from the first bath through the second bath, the squeegee rolls being disposed so that the paper emerging from the second 'bath rises at an angle of approximately 60" for quicker drainage by gravity of a large percentage of the stabilizer back into the second bath before the paper reaches the last squeegee rolls, so that the finished print emerges approximately 85% dry, Without any hesitation marks or other blemishes, and

(3) A guide system consisting of vertically spacedgently curved plastic guides disposed between the drive rolls and squeegee rolls, the upper guide maintaining even tension on the paper between the second and third pairs of rolls while holding the paper immersed in the stabilizer to the right extent, while the lower guide cooperates with the upper one to guide the leading and trailing ends properly and avoid backups or bunchin-gs and direct the paper finally upwardly at a sharp angle to the squeegee rolls, the guides both having longitudinally extending ribs for light line contact with the paper on both sides to guide it through the stabilizer bath in perfectly timed sequence with the aforesaid double kiss treatment in the developer bath, thereby insuring a continuous tone photographic print that is commercially acceptable, without any traces of adhesion or scufiing of the surface due to passage of the paper'through the guide system.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIGS. 1 and 2 are a plan view and front view, respectively, of the roller assembly for my improved photographic processing machine;

FIG. 3 is a more or less diagrammatic section on the line 33 of FIG. 1 showing the relationship of the closely spaced two pairs of drive rolls to the developer bath and the relationship of the squeegee rolls to the stabilizer bath and to the guide system between the two sets of rolls, and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are fragmentary rear views at opposite ends of the guide system, FIG. 5 showing the lower guide removed to better illustrate the evenly spaced parallel rounded shape of the ribs on-the upper guide, the same shaped ribs being also provided in evenly spaced parallel relation on the lower guide in offset relationship to the ribson the upper guide, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughoutt he views.

Referring to the drawings, the exposed paper. is indicated at 10 in FIG, 3 as fed horizontally to the processor from a printer with itsexposed emulsion side down, passing first through two pairs of horizontal spring pressed rubber-covered drive rolls 11-12 and 1314 disposed in closely spaced parallel relationship and turning in the direction of the arrows, the lower rolls. 12 and 14 dipping into a developer solution 15 of a double kiss-treatment of the emulsion to insure good and even overall developing of the latent images, despite the one inch per second rate of feed. The rolls 11-14 are suitably mounted in bearings in parallel vertical side frames 16 between which the container 17 for the developer bath 15 is provided. It is important that the paper 10 travel at the right speed for proper timing of the action of this developer on the exposed face in relation to immersion in the stabilizer bath if the resulting picture is to come out right. The guides 18 and 19 insure immersion in the stabilizer bath 20 in the right timed relation to the first treatment and keeping it in the stabilizer bath long enough to neutralize the action of the developer before the paper emerges and passes through the spring pressed rubber-covered squeegee ical, the paper leaving the rolls 21-22 being approximately 85% dry so that no separate drier is needed. The importance of accurate timing is apparent when it is known that a hesitation line appears plainly on a print if there is even..the slightest interruption in the continuous feeding of the paper through the processing machine. Harder ""rubber (#65 Durometer) is used in the upper rolls 11,

13, and 21 than in the lower rolls 12, 14, and 22, the latter being #50 Durometer.

The elongated, gently curved guides 18 and 19 are made of a suitable plastic material, the lower guide 19 being secured at its opposite ends to inwardly bent end portions 23 of metal brackets 24 mounted on the side frames 16, while the upper guide 18 is suitably secured at its opposite ends to other sheet metal brackets 25 secured, as by means of rivets 26, to the brackets 24. Longitudinally extending ribs 27 of gently rounded form are provided in evenly spaced parallel relation on the lower face of the upper guide 18 and these ribs are in offset relation to similar ribs 28 provided in evenly spaced parallel relation on the upper or inner face of the lower guide 19. Studs 29 on the side frame members 16 extend through holes 30 in the brackets 24 for removably securing the brackets 24 in place on the side frame members 16. A container 31 for the stabilizer bath extends between the side frame members 16 and has the guide system 18- 19 extending into it, as clearly seen in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the side frame members 16 have stainless steel tie-rods 32 rigidly interconnecting the same, none of these rods being shown in FIG. 3. The lower squeegee roll 22 has a chain belt connection with the upper drive roll 13, as indicated at 33 in FIG. 1.

In operation, the present machine operates with what are known as stabilization materials, which require absolute processor accuracy for uniformly good results. The

slightest hesitation in paper flow through the processor would cause blemishes, lines, and other objectionable results in the finished prints. Provision is made for automatic chemical replenishment so as to maintain the correct liquid level of the developer and stabilizer chemicals in the two containers 17 and 31 continuusly, which is important in assuring quality processing. Stainless steel tension springs 34 and 35 provide correct roller contact pressure constantly between drive rollers 11 and 12 and drive rollers 13 and 14, respective1y,and similar stainless steel tension springs 36 provide correct roller contact pressure between the squeegee rolls 21-22. Lighter spring tension is provided on rolls 11-12 than on rolls, 13-14 for the reasons stated earlier. About the same heavier tension is provided on squeegee rolls 21-22 as on rolls 13- 14, as both sets of rolls function in a similar capacity. The integrated roll-guide system makes it possible to feed extremely thin papers without special preparation, as well as double weigh-t papers. A spring loaded drive coupling 37 is provided between the squeegee roll 22 and the drive motor (not shown), the latter being suitably housed at one end of the machine. An intermediate idler gear 38 meshing with gears 39 and 40 provided on the projecting ends of the shafts of the upper rolls 11 and 13 serves to transmit the positive drive between the two sets of drive rolls 11-12 and 13-14, thereby insuring perfectly timed sequence in the feeding of the paper through the two chemical baths so that the finished print emerges not only 85% dry so that a separate drier is unnecessary but also without any hesitation marks or other blemishes thereon. With the two pairs of drive rolls 11-12 and 13- 14 in such closely spaced relation, there is every assurrance of positive even chemical application regardless of the one inch per second rate of feed. The upper guide 18 maintains the tension in the paper 10 even "between the second and third sets of rollers, holding the paper immersed in the stabilizer to exactly the right extent at all times, the lower guide 19 cooperating with the upper one to guide the leading and trailing ends properly to avoid backups or bunching, and it serves also to direct the lead-.

ing end sharply upwardly between the squeegee rolls.

The longitudinally extending gently rounded ribs on these two gently curved guides 18 and 19 insure good guiding function without any danger of scuffing or marking on the print, while at the same time, insuring good opportunity for the stabilizer to reach every portion of the surface of the paper. In closing, it is important to note that the leading edge 41 of the lower guide 19 is not only farther away from the upper guide 18 than is the trailing edge 42 of the upper guide 18 from the lower guide 19, but, the leading edge 41 of the lower guide 19 is submerged in the stabilizer bath 20, and both of these features are important to the proper handling of the paper in the high speed processing of it. The submerged disposition of the leading edge 41 of the lower guide eliminates contamination by deposits of developer, which would otherwise accumulate at this point and ultimately end in spoilage of prints, while the converging arrangement of the complementarily curved surfaces of the guides 18 and 19 toward the trailing edge 42 of the upper guide 1 8 insures proper setting of the paper 10 as it passes through the stabilizer bath 20 so that it doesnt actually come into contact with the upper surface of the lower guide 19 until at the point 43 on the trailing end 44 of the lower guide 19, where the paper is directly upwardly at an angle of approximately 60 toward the last set of squeegee rolls 22. In other words, the conformation and disposition of the upper and lower-guides 18 and 19 with respect to one another are considered critical, because other guides shaped differently and differently arranged with respect to one another which I have tried were unsuccessful, whereas the ones herein shown give uniformly good results. A continuous roll of paper can be fed through the present machine without bunching or slipping. Even the most critical reproduction requirements are met with blacker blacks and whiter whites.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. In a photographic processing machine comprising two baths, the first and relatively short bath being for developer solution, the second and relatively long bath being for stabilizer solution, two vertically arranged pairs of coacting horizontal driven feed rolls disposed in closely spaced parallel relation between which a continuous strip of exposed paper is fed emulsion side down horizontally into the machine and receives allover wetting with developer solution on the emulsion side from the two lower feed rolls by reason of their both dipping into the first bath, the first pair of rolls being mainly wetting rolls, the second pair of rolls serving both as wetting and squeegee rolls, a pair of vertically spaced gene-rally horizontal guides dipping into the second bath and having the paper leaving the feed rolls guided therebetween so as to be immersed in the stabilizer solution in a predetermined closely timed relation to the wetting of the emulsion side with developer solution for good continuous tone photographic printing despite a fast feed rate, the upper one of said guides being convexly curved downwardly and disposed with only its trailing end portionv submerged in the second bath, while the lower one of s-aid guides is concavely curved and disposed in spaced rela-' tion to the upper guide with only its leading end portion submerged in the second bath; said upper guide dipping the paper into said second bath while maintaining even tension on thepaper between the second pair of rolls and. a third pair ,of rolls, said lower guide contacting the paper only after it leaves the upper guide and directing it sharply upwardly for quick drainage back into the second bath of excess stabilizer solution immediately after immersion,

, and a third pair offeed rolls which are coacting horizontal squeegee rolls driven in timed relation to the other feed rolls and disposed over the second bath and having the paper passing therebetween for removal of most of the remaining stabilizer solution not previously drained off.

2. A photographic processing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein the leading end portion of the lower guide and the trailing end portion of the upper guide are disposed in inwardly converging relationship to one another.

3. A photographic processing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein the leading end portion of the lower guide and the trailing end portion of the upper guide are disposed in inwardly converging relationship to one another, and the trailing end portion of the lower guide eX-' tends well beyond the trailing end of the upper guide and is curved upwardly relative thereto for directing the paper sharply upwardly as it leaves the second bath for passage between the third pair of feed and squeegee rolls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,107,596 10/1963 Arnold et a1 95- 89 3,142,241 7/1964 Limberger 9589 3,242,843 3/1966 Tillotson et al. 9589 3,315,583 4/1967 Hunt 95-89 X NORTON ANSI-IER, Primary Examiner. F. L. BRAUN, Assistant Examiner. 

